Springfield, Mo. – A weather radio outage has left thousands of residents in southern Missouri without access to automated weather alerts, just as the region enters a critical period for summer storms.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield reported that all NOAA Weather Radio transmitters it operates went offline at 5:20 p.m. on Monday, June 16, for a scheduled computer system update.
This outage affects 17 transmitters, serving several counties, including high-population areas like Branson, West Plains, and Neosho.
As a result of the outage, emergency weather warnings, such as tornado alerts, flash flood advisories, and severe thunderstorm warnings, will not be broadcast over weather radios in the affected regions.
With summer storms expected in the Ozarks and along the I-44 corridor, local officials are urging residents to use backup methods to stay informed. These include weather apps on smartphones, local radio and television broadcasts, and the FEMA or Red Cross emergency apps.
The outage is affecting areas such as Fordland (162.400 MHz), Summersville (162.500 MHz), and Cassville (162.500 MHz). Residents are advised to keep their devices charged, ensure that emergency alerts are activated on their smartphones, and stay aware of weather conditions.
The NWS expects weather radio broadcasts to resume by Wednesday, June 18. Until then, they advise all Missourians to rely on multiple sources for weather alerts to stay safe during this critical time.
